Since this is posted on the Market Gardener, I would ordinarily discuss in terms of plants, but you're talking about a sustainable lifestyle, so I'm going to broaden it a little to include livestock. The principles are the same, it's just easier for me to talk in terms of farming. While there are some lovely books to read on those lists, I would say as far as reading goes, practicality first, philosophy second. You might do some checking on the lists and prioritize the recommendations. Put in some heavy duty time with the county ag agents. Ours supply farm record books that are a wonder for calculating costs and profits, maintaining livestock and crop records, etc. You can do part of this for them. The agent will be able to give you some idea of the established markets and farming in the area. You'll see what is overloaded and where there's growth. It will also be helpful to know things like: If you're going to raise sheep, it may be helpful to raise the same breeds so you'll have a local source for replacement ewes and rams, or so you can be part of a wool-marketing cooperative. Look at the talents and abilities. I like sheep and can handle most of the care necessary, such as shearing, etc. But I have big hands--not good for helping deliver a tangle of lambs. On the other hand, there have been times when I've needed to wrestle a hundred pound ewe, who has decided she will not walk even if staying where she is will mean drowning, up a steep and muddy bank in the middle of a rainstorm in the dark. We solve this with a partnership that lets us concentrate on our strengths. BUT, in time of necessity, we've each had to tackle jobs we aren't suited for. Those are the preliminaries. As I understand there are 320 acres total, with 300 rented out. That gives the youngsters 20 acres to work with? The main thing I would do is establish a relationship with the farmer or farmers that are renting the land. Offer to work in whatever free time your son and DIL have for whatever wages the farmers can afford in return for learning. Do they raise hay? Learn how to judge when hay is ready for cutting. Learn what grass works in the area, what kind of hay sells, what size bales are easiest to handle on the farm, what size bales bring the best return on the market, what kind of baler to buy, where a used baler might be available, how to handle minor repairs, how to load the twine, how to grease and maintain the mechanism. Perhaps the farmer runs cattle. Could the property support more animals per acre? How? Find out what kind of improvements the farmer would make on the land. Liming? Reseeding? Would a water tank make it better? Should that stream be dammed or diverted? Would bringing in a herd of goats to clean up the weeds make it better? Would the farmer make the improvements himself as a substitute for the rent? Would he pay higher rent for the improvements? Would he pay your son and DIL to check the animals, haul feed in the winter, etc.? Look for improvements that can be made gradually. Does the fence need improving? Find out how to run barbed wire. (It's harder than it looks and there are some techniques that will make the work much easier and much safer.) The field needs new posts? Start putting aside enough money from each paycheck to buy one post. Get the posts in place and then replace one strand of wire at a time. Or one roll of barbed wire at a time. In this way, your son gets experience in farming, the land is improved, and he's working towards a time when he can farm the property himself. Okay, so you have a plan for the 300 acres, what do the kids do with the 20? Market research will be the key. Find either a group that will give you mass marketing strength or find a niche that no one else is doing. Don't go for a kind of medium where you have competitors and some do well and some fail but most do only okay. South Dakota--Are there Indian Reservations nearby? Have the kids considered raising Indian corn--sorry, ornamental corn? Forget cultural authenticity--we're talking tourists here. Most will easily make the connection. Grow one season, dry and store, sell the next summer season. Stores at campgrounds would be potential customers. Would a roadside stand be doable for you? They would also have the fall decorations market. They could sell at the local farmer's market and even if their supply didn't sell one weekend, they could bring the same back the next week with small loss because dried corn doesn't spoil the way cut flowers might. They can also market shocks of corn as decorations. Some of the ornamental corn has different colored stalks--take orders, charge for delivery. They could sell mail order, seeds as well as the ears. The seeds are used in making necklaces for the tourist trade. They might also raise some of the varieties of blue corn, which beyond decoration can also be used to grind blue corn meal for Mexican dishes such as tacos, etc. Since most of these varieties are not hybrid, they should be able to raise their own seed after the first order. Surplus, since it's good corn, could be fed to their own livestock--you know, those goats that are clearing the pasture? The relatively short growing season can be managed since in my experience the ornamental corn sprouts can handle some frost die-back in spring, and they'll need to have a couple of frosts before harvest anyway. Patches of different varieties will have to be separated to avoid cross-pollination--or you can cross them and develop your own variety. Print labels on the computer, put the corn in a baggy, and bob's your uncle. Add gourds and pumpkins, depending upon the growing season, to go along with the themes of Native American crops and ornamental crops. They can even be planted among the cornrows. Ray

I had lights put in cach closet so they come on when the door is opened and off when closed. I love this feature; no more hunting in a dark closet. Used T5 slim flourescest light fixtures. I also have drawers on all the bottom kitchen cabinets. Makes those dark recesses in the back go away. Did in floor hot water heat which I love. No more drafty forced air. Put a shower valve that controls a hose spigot inside the garage so we can wash the car on the outside concrete pad in the winter. Full extension glides on the kitchen drawers and the soft close on the drawers and the cabinet doors. We are at 5000 ft in northern Wyoming so we did tripple pane casement windows and 2x6 walls with foam insulation on the exteriior wall. I would do double hung windows if I had to do it again becasue the flies like to roost between the inside screen and the window pane. Have at least R50 in the ceiling that's blown in fiberglass. The new stuff that doesn't itch. I also agree with putting plenty of outside spigots and outside electrical plugs. Wish I had more.

To start, let me say this: I am in the middle of a complete DIY kitchen remodel which I designed, planned and made my dream come true (yes, little ole 58 yr old woman, me!) And I couldn't have done it without this website and your blogs!! Thanks to all! To those who wonder why use a pot filler because the pot you fill with water will have to eventually return to the sink for draining anyway, I can say this: for me who has carpel tunnel and arthritis in my hands and shoulders, just cutting one trip to the sink (my cooktop is opposite the sink several feet away), justifies the need for a pot filler. Also, I chose a single bowl 33" sink (9" deep) and this will reduce "inconveniences" at the sink when I try to fill a pot while my son (or husband) is cleaning or draining something else. I chose a deck-mount pot filler (great price on the net) which requires just an extra hole in my new granite and no drilling or worries about something being installed on the back wall. This also means simple install because all I had to do was ask my plumber to draw a copper line horizontally from my fridge to the cooktop with a shut off valve, and then use a flexible heavy duty hose from the valve to the pot filler (easy access because I just remove the drawers under my cooktop to install it). And as I am one of those people who change their flexible water lines from the washing machine and dishwasher once every 5 years, I will add this line to the list. This way, no worries about leaks! Thank you thank you thank you to those who suggested Never-MT and Plugmold items. Wow! This is the type of convenient items I searched for on the internet all day yesterday! Love you guys!

Best Investment I've made in a long time! You'll get the materials lists, estimated costs, and step-by-step, illustrated instructions to build a truly attractive outbuilding for gardening, storage and more.. great stuff Here is a link that might be useful: Woodwork Plans